Feeler mechanism for looms



l. SNOW FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1920.

1,387,202, I PatentedAug.9,1921."

M/RIMMU has reached a predetermined amount.

r rica ISAAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COREORATION,

OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

rnnnnia MECHANISM FOR nooivrs.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

Application filed March 1, 1920. Serial No. 362,378.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Isaac Snow, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Lawrence, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is'a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts. I

The present invention relates to feele mechanisms for looms, whereby a fresh supply of filling is furnished prior to the complete exhaus'tion'of filling in the running shuttle.

Various forms of feeler mechanisms have heretofore been devised, and some of them have operated with fairly satistactoryresults. The ofiice of a feeler mechanism is to detect a condition of approaching exhaustion of the filling in a shuttle, and when that approach has reached a predetermined point, to efiect replenishment of the filling without stopping the 100m. Some of these previously-suggested forms of feeler mechanisms have depended upon a measuring operation and have called the change when the measured amount of filling in the shuttile 11 others, the detecting member or feeler of the detecting mechanism has beenmounted for the side swipe movement, or a movement longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling has become substantially exhausted, and at such times the side swipe movement of the feeler has been utilized to effect a in the filling.

The final result which is sought by a feeler mechanism is to effect replenishment of filling when that in the active shuttle has reached a degree of exhaustion which will insure the laying of a full pick in the last trip of the shuttle and yet retain on the fillmg carrier or bobbin a minimum supply of filling as waste. The fecler mechanism also is compelled to perform its detecting action in a very small fraction of time during the beat-up movementof the lay, consequently it must not only be sensitive to the presence tected.

or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle, but it must be. formed and constructed to act efliciently and promptly when sub-.

stantial exhaustion Of the l g i 16 change 7 The presentinvention hasmorc especial reterenceto feeler mechanisms of the socalled slde swipe type, and an important feature of the invention consists in a fecler mechanism of this type wherein the feeler shall be under the control of a rocking member whlch is subject to the impulse of a spring tending to move the feeler into its rearward position and as it moves frontwardly therefrom on a detecting beat, to turn it or move it in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. r

The various features of the present invention will bestbe understood from the'following description in connection with the accompanying drawings which show' one good, practical form of the invention and then the invention in its true scope will be definitely pointed out'by the claims.

In the drawings:- Figure 1 is a perspective view feeler or detecting side of the loom," some of the V of the parts being. omitted tor the purpose showing-the ac t ionoi the parts when the fill-' ing is substantially exhausted; and

Fig. 41 is an enlarged detail section on the line 44, Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the term sub-- stantial exhaustion of filling has reference to that condition of the fillingwhen its approaching complete exhaustion is imminent, but prior to complete depletion of the filling in the shuttle, so that when the change is called, a complete length of filling will be laid in the shed. i i

The loom frame 1 maybe, ofthe usual character suitable for supporting the operat ing'p'arts. "Secured thereto, are the bearing supports 2, one at each side of the loom, for sustaining the transverse or rock shaft 3. The rock shaft 3 as usual, is under the'nor mal influence of aspring, not shown, tending to maintain the partssubstantially' in the position indicated-in Fig. 1, but since "such spring: and it's connected elements, are well tration is not/deemed necessary.

7 known to those skilled in the art, its illus-f Secured t0 and extendingupwardly from-;

the transverse or rock shaft 3 is the arm 4; to which is pivoted at 5 the latch G, the rear end of which, 7, is adapted at times to be engaged by an operating member 8. The operating member 8 may be formed as part of or associated with some vibrating part of the loom, and in the present instance is formed as part of or connected to the cam follower.

The lay carries the usual shuttle box 9, the front wall of which is slotted at 10. The shuttle 11 is likewise provided with a slot 12 in its front wall which registers with the slot 10 in the front wall of the shuttle box when the shuttle is in proper position in the box, the construction being such that the feeler, to be presently described, may pass through the coinciding slots and feel for the filling in the shuttle. The filling 13 is carried on the usual term of filling carrier or bobbin 14.

Extending from the 100m frame is the shipper stand 15, to which may be adjustably secured the feeler support 16. In the present instance a slotted arm 17 projects from the shipper stand and the feeler support 16 is adjustably connected thereto by a suitable boltand set nut 18. Mounted on the feeler support 16 for adjustment toward and from the front ofthe loom is the feeler stand 19 which may be secured to the teeler support 16 by a bolt 20. The teeler stand extends rearwardly and is provided with the side guiding lugs 21, of which there may be a suitable number for guiding and sustaining the feeler carrier 22. In the present in stance the guidinglugs 21 are upturned from the feeler stand and bent inwardly, so that their upper end portions extend over the top of the ieeler carrier 22 and form suitable guiding means for guiding the teeler carrier as it is moved toward and from the front of the loom.

Pivotally mounted on the ieeler carrier at 23 is the ieeler 24:, the rear end portion of which is provided with a series of teeth or roughened edge 25. From its pivotal support 23 the teeler 24% extends frontwardly and is connected to a rocking member also mounted on the feeler carrier and under the influence of a spring normally tending to move the rocking to effect movement of the feeler member in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle. In the present instance, the feeler at its front portion is provided with a bifurcated end formed by a slot 26 which engages a pin or lug 27 extended from the rocking member 22, the latter being pivotally mounted at 29 on thefeeler carrier22, the construction being such that should the rocking member 28 be moved upon its pivotal support on the teeler carrier, the pin or h1g2? will cause the teeler 2% to be likewise turned in an opposite directionv upon its p1vota1support.23..

The rocking member 28 is normally under the influence or a spring tending to turn it clockwise, viewing Fig. 2, and in the pres ent instance, the spring control of the rocking member is secured by means of a rod 30 which is pivotally connected to the rocking member 28 at one side of its pivotal mounting 29 and extends frontwardly through a guiding lug 31 rising from the feeler stand, the construction being such that the rod 30 may move trontwardly and rearwardly relative to the teeler stand and be guided in its rcciprocat-ions. Adjustably secured to the rod 30 is a collar 32, between which and the lug 31 is interposedrthe spring 33, theeffect of which is that the spring 33 exerts a normal rearward tension upon the rocking member 28 at one side of its pivotal sup port 29.

In order that the teeler 2tshall be limited in its rocking movement in opposition to the spring 33 a stop 3% rises from the teeler carrier in the path of movement of the feeler 24. i

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent that when the filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, it will engage the teeth 25 of the teeler and by frontward pressure thereagainst will move the feeler and ieeler carrier trontwardly in opposition to the spring 33, which, acting eccentrically or at one side of the pivotal mounting upon the rocking member 28, will tend to turn the feeler in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle but will be restrained from effecting such movement by engagement oi the teeth 25 with the mass of filling.

.t, however, filling should be substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the iteeler 24 would no longer be held from its turning movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle under the impulse of the spring '33 on a detecting beat, and the parts would assume the position indicated in Fig. 3, wherein, would appear, that the feeler 2 1 has been moved laterally under the rearwardv iressure oi the s3rin '23 as the teeler oarr 2: rier moves Irontwardly.

In order that the rocking member 28 may be returned to itsnormal position, and also is adapted to strike a stop 36 which may be conveniently formed as a pm rising from the feeler stand. 7

The present invention a ms to utllize the lateral swinging movement of the feeler when the filling is absent on a detecting beat to effect replenishment of filling; and to this end the rocking member 28 1s provided with an arm 37 to which is connected one end of a link or II1OVBIIIGIIlJ-tI3JlSII11tt1lEg ele,

lnent 38, the other end of which is pivotally connected at 39 to one arm of the bell crank lever 40 pivotally mounted at etl on a stand d2 rising from theloom frame. The other arm of the bell crank lever 40 extends beneath the latch 6, the construction being such that should the bell crank lever be moved contraclockwise in the particular construction shown, the latch 6 will be raised to place its rear end portion in" the path of movementof the operating member 8 and upon frontward movement thereof to effect replenishment of filling.

From the construction described as one good, practical embodiment of the present invention, it will be noted that the rocking member 28 is connected to the feeler and is itself under the influence of a spring normally tending to turn the rocking member and effect side swipe movement of the feeler as well, also, .as rearward movement of the feeler carrier. that the'connectiondof the rod 30 through which the spring 38 acts, is closer to the pivot 29 of the rocking member 28 than is the point of contact of the arm 35 wit-h the stop 86 as the feeler "carrier moves to rearward position, the effect being that the rock ing member may be turned contraclockwise by engagement of the arm 85 with the stop 36 and return the feeler to its normal feeling position, as the feeler carrier moves backwardly after a detecting beat.

What is claimed is z 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted vfor movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, a rocking member mounted on the feeler carrier and connected to the feeler, a spring acting through the rocking member to normally maintain the feeler carrier and feeler in rearward feeling position and to effect movement of the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat,

2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for sliding movement toward and form the front of the loom, a feeler pivotally mounted on the feeler carrierand having a toothed engaging portion. a rocking member also pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier and connected. to the feeler, a spring that acts 7 through. the rocking member to move the feeler carrier to its rearward position and to move the feeler about its pivot when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and means connected to the rock It will be apparent, also,

:1 member to effect replenishment of fill- I In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler mounted on the carrier for movement in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle and held from such' movement on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof, a spring, connections between the spring and feeler carrier and'feeler including a rocking member mounted on the feeler carrier and engaged with the feeler, means connected to the roclr ing member for effectingreplenishment of filling, and means operated by the rearward movement of the carrier to movethe feeler longitudinally of the shuttle to itsnormal feeling position. 7

4t. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted'for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a feeler upon the feeler carrier,

a rocking member pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier and connected to the feeler, and a spring acting through the .7

' the loom, a feeler upon the "feeler carrier,

a rocking member pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier and connected to thee feeler, and a spring acting through the .rocking member at one side of its pivotal connection with the feeler carrier to (1) normally hold the feeler carrier yieldingly in rearward position, and (2) move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting 7. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feelerflcarrier, 'a' feeler member for effecting replenishment of fillcarrier, a spring acting through said rod to (1) move the feeler carrier to its rearward position (2) swing the rocking member and feeler-on their pivots when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and means connected to the rocking member to effect replenishment of filling.

8. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrying slide, a iteeler pivotally mounted on the slide, a rocking member pivotally mounted on the slide and engaged with the feeler, a rod spring actuated in'a rearward direction and connected to the rocking member at one side of its pivotal connection with the feeler carrying slide to move the feeler about its pivot when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, and a fixed lug positioned to be engaged by the rocking member as the slide moves rearwardly to swing said member in a direction opposite to the direction it is moved by said spring.

9. In a feeler mechanism for looms, th combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler mounted thereon, a rocking member pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier and connected to the feeler, a springacting on the mounting to (1) move the feeler carrier rearwardly and (2) turn the feeler when filling is substantially exhausted on at detecting beat, a fixed stop, and an arm on the rocking member for engaging the stop at a greater distance from the pivot of the rocking member than the point at which the spring acts upon said member.

10. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom, a teeler upon the carrier and constituting the sole element engaging the filling on a detecting beat, a rocking member pivotally mounted on the feeler carrier and connected to the feeler, and a spring acting through the rocking member to (l)normally hold the feeler carrier yieldingly in rearward position, and (2) move the feeler longitudinally of the shuttle when filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOW. 

